Jay Buhner

Jay Campbell Buhner (born August 13, 1964, in Louisville, Kentucky), nicknamed "Bone", was a powerful right-handed hitter in Major League Baseball. He was among the most recognizable players of his day, noted for his shaved head and thick goatee. He put that recognizability to good cause, as well, hosting an annual Buhner Buzz Night, where fans would shave their heads at the ballpark with the proceeds going to charity.

Table of contents

1 Early Career
2 Best Years
3 Accomplishments
4 Teams
5 External Links

Early Career

Jay was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2nd round of the 1984 amateur draft and was traded shortly thereafter to the New York Yankees. He made his Major League debut on September 11, 1987, appearing in seven games that year. Jay was traded again the next summer, on July 21, 1988, to the Seattle Mariners along with a player to be named later in exchange for Ken Phelps.

Jay struggled in that season, hitting just .215, and didn't play well the next several seasons.

Best Years

Jay hit his stride in 1991, hitting 27 HRs with 77 RBIs. While well-known for his tendency to strike out, Jay also developed a patience at the plate which allowed him to walk 100 times in a season on several occasions. By the mid-90s he had developed into one of the premier offensive players in the game, hitting 40-plus home runs in three consecutive seasons, 1995, 1996 and 1997. Had he not been in a line-up surrounded by superstars Ken Griffey Jr and Edgar Martinez (and budding superstar Alex Rodriguez), Jay's accomplishments might have been more noted than they currently are.